ladybug

Everyday

A ladybug is a small round beetle, usually red or orange with black spots, that eats tiny insects called aphids. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on minibeasts and life cycles, ladybugs go through egg, larva, pupa and adult stages. Gardeners like them because they eat aphids that damage plants. Their bright colours warn birds that they taste bad. In stories and rhymes, ladybugs are friendly creatures. Counting spots is a fun early maths activity.

Examples

• A ladybug landed on my hand. tree →
• Ladybugs eat aphids that harm plants in the garden. tree →
• The ladybug had seven black spots. tree →
• We watched a ladybug larva turn into a pupa. tree →
• Its red colour warns birds not to eat it. tree →
• Count the spots on each ladybug and add them up. tree →

Note

«Ladybug» is the US and Canadian word; in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand it is «ladybird». Plural: ladybugs. Myth: the number of spots does not tell its age; it shows the kind of ladybug. Ladybugs are beetles, not bugs in the scientific sense.